Title: Six Reasons
Author: aolurker
Disclaimer: I do not own SVU or these characters (darn it!) nor am I making any money off them (darn it!). No infringement intended.
Fandom: Law and Order: SVU
Pairing: Alex/Olivia
Rating: T
Summary: A little bit of happy (and I hope also heartfelt) fluff.

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Six Reasons

Alex slowly kissed her way up the sweat-dampened body of her lover as that lover slowly came down from the high Alex had just sent her on. Alex couldn't help but smile as she made her way up and across Olivia's torso, breasts, and sternum, listening to Olivia's labored breathing start to even out and stealing glances at Olivia's blissful face.

Drawing even with the brunette, Alex kissed Olivia's chin, then one of her closed eyelids before rolling off and to the side of her obviously very sated companion. She reached down and grabbed the sheet from around their knees and brought it up to cover their bodies, knowing Olivia would soon cool and need the extra warmth. She then lay on her side facing the detective, head resting on her clasped hands on her pillow, and waited.

When Olivia's brain started marginally functioning again she turned her head slightly and glanced over at the blonde next to her. And was greeted by an extremely self-satisfied and smug look on the attorney's face; the kind Alex wore when she knew she had just nailed someone on cross examination and nailed them but good.

Olivia turned her face back toward the ceiling, closed her eyes again and let out a chuckle. She lay there for another minute before inhaling deeply and finally speaking, letting out a, "Wow," on her exhale.

It was Alex's turn to chuckle.

Olivia finally rolled over onto her side, adjusting herself so she could look at Alex better, their heads resting on their respective pillows, facing each other.

She was going to say something, something about how incredible that was or amazing that was or thank you or something. But... but as her eyes focused on Alex's face and took in her features, she was simply overcome by wonder. Shaking her head, as if in disbelief, she stared at Alex's lips and instead whispered, "How in the hell did I get so lucky?"

Several emotions played over Alex's face but she remained silent, knowing the question to be rhetorical.

Then Olivia's eyes came up to meet Alex's, "I mean it. Sometimes... I just can't believe it. That you're here," Olivia reach up and pushed some hair out of Alex's eyes, "That you're with me. Not just with me in my bed, though that's pretty spectacular, too," Olivia smiled shyly, "but *with me*." She paused then whispered, "Why?"

Alex frowned, knowing the question wasn't rhetorical this time but also not exactly sure what it was asking, "Why what?"

"Why are you with me?" Olivia didn't want to have to ask, didn't want this streak of vulnerability of hers to rear its head right now, but it was and only hearing Alex's reassurances could stop it.

Alex's expression softened, "Oh, baby, you really don't know?"

Olivia shook her head, needing, needing Alex to sooth it away. She held her breath as Alex began to speak.

"It's because," Alex reached out and traced her fingers over Olivia's lips, "It's because your apartment is so much closer to work than mine is. The commute from here is so much better."

The tension that had just started to build broke and Olivia laughed, an honest to goodness laugh, joined by Alex.

When their laughter died down, Olivia spoke again, feeling better already from Alex's light banter. "Very funny."

Alex grinned but her grin faded and she asked more seriously but still lightly, "Do you want to know why I'm really with you?"

Olivia also grew marginally more serious and nodded. Because yes, she still did.

And Alex had every intention of telling Olivia everything she needed hear, but not just yet. She looked at Olivia with a half amused, half challenging expression, "Okay. I'll tell you. But you have to go first."

Olivia raised her eyebrows in question.

"Tell me why you're with me."

Olivia started to trace a finger down the blonde's arm, starting at her shoulder and spoke easily, with a half smile, more than happy to go along with Alex and keep the conversation light for now, "Fair enough. How many reasons do you want?"

Alex fully smiled now and thought for a second, "Six."

Olivia met Alex's eyes, "Six?"

Alex shrugged, "Four is too easy. Five, too cliché. So six."

"Always so logical." Olivia's smile returned as her finger resumed its course. She took a deep breath and started her list. "Okay. Here goes. You're smart," she paused, "You're honest. You're beautiful," Olivia's gaze wandered over the features of Alex's impossibly perfect face again, shaking her head in wonderment again, adding on a whisper, "So incredibly beautiful."

Alex interrupted with a faux-hurt expression, "Hey, are you implying through omission that I'm not 'so incredibly' smart or honest?"

Olivia pinched Alex's side and the blonde yelped. She waved her finger in Alex's face, "Don't interrupt."

Alex resisted the urge to stick her tongue out at Olivia and fell silent.

Olivia smiled and continued, "You're determined. Like a dog with a bone sometimes. You fight so hard. And for all the right reasons, too. Consequences be damned."

"That's not always a good thing, you know. I mean that last part about 'consequences be damned'."

Olivia could help but chuckle, "I know. But it can still be pretty damn inspiring. And sometimes... it can also be pretty damn sexy." But then Olivia's expression became mock-stern and she again waved her finger, "But what did I say about interrupting?"

Alex followed Olivia's example, becoming mock-contrite. "Sorry. Following instructions isn't one of my strong suits."

"You don't say," Olivia said dryly.

When Alex gave her a dirty look in response, Olivia laughed, "You're so cute when you have that petulant look on your face," Olivia tapped Alex on the nose and Alex scrunched her face up, "And no, that's not one of my reasons, I'm just saying."

Olivia let the moment linger just long enough then continued her list, becoming more serious so Alex would know how much she meant what she was saying, "You're so tough and I love that toughness. But I love even more that as I got to know you, I found that there's another side to you that's tender," Olivia ran her finger tips along one of Alex's eyebrows, and she slowed down her words, "and soft," she smoothed the pad of her thumb over Alex's cheekbone, her voice now a whisper, "and warm," as her fingers and gaze fell to Alex's lips before her eyes came back up to meet Alex's.

Alex swallowed hard and they just looked at each other for long moments.

When Olivia didn't start speaking again, however, Alex prompted her, her own voice a raspy whisper, "That's only five."

Olivia continued to hold Alex's gaze as she replied, "You said 'yes'."

When understanding didn't completely register in the attorney's eyes, Olivia expanded, "That's my sixth reason for why I'm with you. When I asked you to coffee, when I asked you to dinner, when I asked you to dinner again, when I finally asked you up after dinner, every time I asked, incredibly, amazingly... every time you said 'yes'. And you keep on saying 'yes'. It blows me away every time."

Alex leaned in, her mouth seeking out Olivia's, meeting in a sensuous dance of lips and tongues, as she threaded her hands through Olivia's hair and felt Olivia's thread through hers, feelings momentarily overwhelming both of them.

Before things could get too heated, however, Alex pulled back and rested her head back against her pillow but ran a lone finger down Olivia's nose to her lips and Olivia quickly captured the tip of that finger lightly between her teeth, teasing the very end of it with her tongue.

Alex was momentarily lost in the action but then pulled her finger out so it could continue its trek down, under Olivia's chin, using it to bring their gazes together so she could ask her question, "And why wouldn't I? Why wouldn't I say 'yes'?"

Olivia tried not to tear up, hoped the crack in her voice wasn't as loud as it sounded in her ears, "You tell me."

Alex raised her eyebrows, backing away from the emotions, the tension of the moment, returning lightness once again to the conversation, returning amusement to her expression once again, saving Olivia's pride and volleying Olivia's earlier statement back at her, "How many reasons do you want?"

Olivia affected a similar expression, thankful, and answered as Alex expected her to, "Six."

Alex licked her lips, "Alright. Six reasons." Alex shifted herself on the pillow, as if readying herself, steeling herself, as if about to give a closing argument. And in many ways that's what she was about to do. For she had every intention of bringing her linguistic abilities to bear to leave no doubt in Olivia's mind exactly what she saw in and exactly how she felt about the detective. When she had herself settled again, she began. Though she didn't get far, "You're smart...."

"Copycat."

It was Alex's turn to pinch Olivia. "I don't recall you instituting a 'no copying rule', Detective. I do recall, however, a 'no interruptions' rule, do I not?" Alex looked pointedly at the detective.

Olivia ruefully but playfully rubbed where Alex had pinched her, "Fine," she grumbled.

Alex began again "You're smart. Book smart. Street smart. A smart ass," she smiled slyly, "You're all of that. And all of it is so attractive on you, even the smart ass part."

Though Alex's statement was on the surface humorous, it was also heartfelt. Further, Alex's voice was taking on a hypnotic quality and she knew by the look on Olivia's face that she had the brunette's full attention. Good.

"You're strong. You think I'm determined but that's because I'm drawing from you, your force, your grit, your convictions, *your* determination. Your strength."

"You're brave beyond words. In a world that you know, better than most, is fraught with danger, you keep going out into it. Despite the chinks in your armor, you keep joining the fray. Even when you know it will hurt, you never shy away from what needs to be done. You want to talk about inspiring, baby...."

Alex bit her bottom lip and took a deep breath, regaining control of her voice before continuing. "Your empathy is boundless. You connect with people, on some deep level. Women, children at their weakest moments know, somehow know, that they can trust you. And they do trust you and that trust is well placed. Watching you connect with them, comfort them, it's amazing. It's beautiful.

Alex inhaled again and paused. Then with just a small smile tugging at the corner of her lips she pressed on, "Speaking of beautiful. You are. So incredibly beautiful."

Olivia interrupted again with the same playful word as before, but her voice and expression only barely keeping the rising tide of emotion at bay, "Copycat."

Alex smiled, "Shhhhh, let me finish," Alex placed a lone finger over Olivia's lips to quiet her. "You're beautiful," Alex repeated, "Not just your lips," she moved the finger that had been resting on those lips, "Not just your eyes, not just your eyebrows or the way your right one arches just a little differently than your left one in the most endearing way," Alex traced those eyebrows as she spoke then moved them lower, her fingers following her words, "Not just your cheekbones, or your strong jaw line or your breasts," Alex's hands dipped below the sheet now so they could continue tracing the path of her words, "Or your wonderfully flat stomach or your hips or your ass," she paused and gave Olivia's ass a little squeeze causing Olivia's eyes to slide shut and a quiet moan to escape her. Alex then brought her hand back up to rest between them, one finger touching and rubbing over Olivia's chin, "But your voice, your voice is the most beautiful thing I've ever heard. And when I hear arousal in it, when I hear that moan in it when I hear love in it and know that it's me that has put those emotions there...it takes my breath away."

Olivia couldn't take it any more, she leaned in, wanting to kiss Alex, wanting to hold her wanting to take her wanting to love her. But Alex placed her palm on Olivia's upper chest, stopping her. "Wait, that was only five."

"You tease," Olivia grumbled but grudgingly settled back onto her pillow.

Alex swallowed hard and licked her lips and then smiled sweetly at Olivia but remained silent.

Olivia arched that eyebrow of hers, "Well, what's your sixth reason then?"

Alex mirrored Olivia's arched brow and gave her final reason. "You asked. And I felt like I was the luckiest person in the world. I mean, didn't you see me look behind me? Look for the person who you were really asking to coffee and to dinner? Because certainly you weren't asking *me*, you couldn't be asking *me*. But you were. That was the most amazing part of it, you were. And I was powerless against your offer. I wanted to be with you so badly. I *want* to be with you so badly. I've wanted that since the moment I met you. And I can't imagine I'll ever stop wanting that."

Olivia opened her mouth to say something but shut it when she realized she wouldn't be able to say anything without breaking. So, instead, Olivia leaned in again and this time when she did, Alex didn't stop her. Their mouths met and they melded together in pure electricity.

It could have been thirty seconds, it could have been thirty minutes later that they pulled apart and looked at each other. And settled back onto their pillows. And smiled.

Olivia breathed in and brought the conversation full circle when she said on her exhale, "Wow."

Alex went with it. She chuckled as she had earlier at that statement and teased, "I think you said that already."

Olivia returned her chuckle but then replied, "I think you're right. But only because you keep rendering me speechless."

Alex blinked shyly, quietly accepting the compliment.

A smile started forming on Olivia's face as she spoke again, "Which reminds me, that really should have been one of my six reasons."

A small creased formed between Alex's eyebrows, "What should have?"

Olivia, still smiling, answered, "That silver tongue of yours."

Alex licked her lips unconsciously before cocking her eyebrow once more and asking, "Are you referring to how articulate I am and my way with words, or are you referring to other things I might do with my tongue, hmmm?"

"Yes," the detective replied with a cheeky grin.

Alex laughed, "Smart ass."

Olivia rolled on top of the blonde then, perched above her on two arms, feeling the blonde part her thighs and hearing the blonde inhale sharply when she settled her hips between them. Olivia, her fears at least for now laid to rest, her vulnerability, her uncertainly gone, replaced with her usual confidence and swagger and also with renewed playfulness. She gave Alex one of her patented crooked grins and waggled her eyebrows at her, "Good thing you think 'smart ass' is attractive on me."

Alex rolled her eyes, "Oh, lord, I've created a monster."

"Grrrrrrr," Olivia growled in response to Alex's statement and lowered herself fully onto the attorney as they both giggled.

And since they'd said everything that needed to be said, they spoke few other words for the next hour, choosing instead to express themselves in other ways.

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